Power clutch



Aug. 13, 1935.

E. l.. TRANAAs 2,011,427

POWER CLUTCH Filed Nov. :13, 1955 Patented Aug. 13, 1935 UNITED STATES POWER CLUTCH Emil L.'Tranaas, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Kochring Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation Application November 13, 1933, Serial No. 697,825

Claims.

This invention embodies a novel design of clutch mechanism 'useful in conjunction with cranes and like machines Where cable or operating drums are required to be connected with l5 suitable drive mechanism time and again in the operation of the machine.

The essential object of the invention is to lighten the work of the operator of the machine by relieving him of the exertion necessary to throw in the clutch, an operation which has to be performed in crane machinery many times in the Aconnecting with and disconnecting of the drum operating device from the motive power carried by the machine.

1 In the carrying out of the present invention it is contemplated to employ what I term a primary clutch or clutch band associated with the main clutch or clutch band in such a way that by the operation of the primary clutch band the resistance load of the driven member which is to be clutched to the driving mechanism is availed of to impart movement tothe carrier ofthe primary clutch band. This movement of the said carrier'is utilized by the provision of suitable connections between said carrier and the main clutch band whereby the said movement is caused to apply the main clutch band to clutch the driven member to the driving member effectively for the performance of the work of driving said driven member.

In the specific embodiment of the invention as shown in connection herewith, Awherein the clutch mechanism is employed in connection with crane machinery, the driven member will comprise a cable drum or the like, the latter designed to do any necessary'work'such as cornmonly a part of the operation of lcrane machines. The driving. member utilized is a gear driven by the motor or other source of power of the gen- 40 eral machine and the required functioning involves the clutching of this driving gear to the drum for effecting the rotation of the latter. For this purpose there is preferably availed of `a clutch drum attached to the cable drum andy there is preferably, mounted upon the driving gear the primary clutch band carrier. This clutch band carrier is susceptible of relative movement by reason of its peculiar mounting upon the driving gear,in relation to the driving gear, and the primary clutch band is preferably a comparatively narrow band with limited clutching surface susceptible of very easy operation to apply it to the clutch drum of the driven member. Now the primary clutch band carrier is linkedly or otherwise connected to the main clutch band designed for transmitting the driving forces of the driving gear or member to the driven member which is a cable drum. Therefore, in the use of the above described mecham- Y cal devices, it is possible for the operator easily` g 5 to eiect a preliminary application of the primary clutch band supported on whatA is herein'called its floating carrier. Such application sets up a reaction force transmitted by the primary clutch band from the cable drum or driven member to l0 the primary clutch band carrier, this reaction force being derived from the resistance load placed upon the primary clutch band by its initial operation of connecting it to the clutch drum, Thus, since the clutch carrier connected 15 with the primary clutch band is a floating part movable relatively to its supporting driving gear, the application of the primary clutching band applies a retarding force to the said iioating carrier during the continuing driving vmovement of the drivingV gear or member, whatever it may be, upon which the said carrier is mounted or to which it is related in a movable manner.4 It-is this force of retardation established by the resistance load of the driven member transmitted 25 through the'primary clutch band to the carrier of the latter, and causing the relative movement of the carrier as regards its associated driving member or gear, which causes actuation oi the connections between the carrier and the main clutch 30 band such that the latter will be effectively applied 'to the clutch drum surface of the driven member or cable drum, such last mentioned application involving no manual effort whatsoever Y on the part of the operator of the clutch means. "35

With the foregoing principle of operation of this invention in mind, it is notable that another special feature of the invention lies'in the vprovision of shock absorbing means associated with the main clutch actuatingdevice whereby to cushion the movement of said last mentioned device so that the main clutch band will not grabtoo suddenly with resultant disadvantages of an obvious nature. V5

In the accompanying drawing- Figure l is a side Viewv showing essentially all of the primary and main clutch parts as associated with the driving gear of an ordinary crane ,cable drum driving unit. l5,()

Figure 2is a vertical sectional view taken on f line'2-2, certain parts being shown in elevation.

This figure brings out more clearly the relative mounting of the parts shown in Figure l, and the clutch drum, which is carried by the cable drum 5,5

loosely supported on the driving shaft forr the driving gear.

Referring first to Figure 2 of the drawing, those versed inthe art will readily recognize the familiar construction of an ordinary cable drum I of a shovel or similar type crane, this cable drum being usually equipped with opposing heads intermediate which .is the hub that provides the .cable winding surface of theV drum. This drum 4I is termed the driven member of lthe clutch mechanism and it is to be understood that it need notrbe a cable drum atall, since as a driven member it may perform other functions entirely distinct from that of a cabler winding device. The said driven member I is equipped with a clutch drum or member 2 about which are disposed the main clutch band 3 and What is termed the prima'ryclutch band 4, the

Word primary being used in the sense that inl the operation of the clutch mechanism said pri- -r'nary 'i clutch or clutch `band `is initially. operated .fin order'tobring into operation and effective ac- VV.tionithezrnain clutchband'or clutchrpart 3. The -main clutchfband 3,2aswi1lbest be seen in Figure .l,';is'carried. by 'orf connected vwith the driving :.'member in theform of a'driving gear suitably y:zoperateclby gearing leading toa motor or'other sourceof power.' The dead end of the main clutch lever 8 opposite that connected with the live end of 'the main'clutch band. 3 is-attached bya link .-I2.to;an'arm I3 of what is termed the floating primary clutch band carrier I4. vThis clutchfband carrier-Itis freely and iioatingly-mounted Vas Yshown in.Y Figure 2',V uponthe-:driving gear. 5 by fmeans lof a ycentral.bearing portion of the car- .lrier -I-4whichfhasa-sort -offswivel or freely rotav .tive connection. `by' encircling an extension v5a of vthe hub .portion tofl the driving gear--see Fig- ...ure 2.A .In `order `tohold the floating carrier Iiin .place upon the drivinggearf-B lbut insuena -man- .ner that itmay have-.a lcertain amount of. rotation on the gear-5, thereareprovidedguide and retainingplates VI5,.one Jof which. extendsover A.the-.arm vIlihpreviousiy` mentioned and the Yother v of .which extends over an oppositelyprojecting arm I6, as seen in Figurel, Ithe saidplates I5 being 4attached by suitablefaste'nings to spokes of theV .driving gear in a self-evident manner.

From. the foregoingv it will be seen that if movement of the carrier I4 relatively'to the gear 5 is .caused in one direction,'the link I2 may pull on the connected arm'of the lever 8 and effect a tightening or applicationgof the main clutch band '3 around the "drum 2.`

There will now-be described .more fully the 'mannerinfwhichitheprimary clutch Vband-II is n equalized to cause the carrier I4 to have the movement relative tofthe gear'E-'vvhich will cause the application of the main-clutch band 3 to the drum '2. flrom-V the arm-I3, which, as previously stated,

is connected to theclutchband actuatinglever 8, there leads a link I1 connecting said .arm to lthelever'warmI8 of'afshock absorber i9, which 1 vxr'iay'be of any; suitable type such las. `operate-s on -the dash-pot principle. and l.which is .mounted on 'thegeari 5 the'purpose lof which'w'ill'app'ear vmore vfully fhereinafter.

" Connected :to: an .oilstanding -.too tight incident-:tofthewheating"orfexpansion o f arm 2D ofthe floating carrier I4 is the dead end of the primary clutch band 4,.see Figure 1; the

Apoint of attachment being designated 2|. The

arm 2li` has an extension 22 that supports the y' by the-adjustable take.up..bolt.24. .Theother end of thelever 23 is shiftable radially'inwardly and outwardly with respect to the axis of the gear 5. It may be mentioned that'said axis of the gear 5 is an ordinary driving shaft 25 to which the :gear`5 is keyed as at 26, see Figure 2. `For the purpose ofactuating the lever 23, any-conventional. clutch operating means may be utilized, for instance ashifting yoke cooperating With the grooved sleeve memberr 28, which sleeve inembei' is connected toxa lyoke V29' comprising the` floating toggle lever 29 connected to the inner arm of the lever 23, said toggle lever 29 being con- :nected pivotally with thezside .-meinbers.v 3.0,twhich pare likewisez'connected' toathe' toggleileverz 3l ,which f comprises .aiforked' partfSO nhavingiagstems .and aclevissGI Atspring-132.#isiattachedmetvveen the 'forked partiand .cl-eviafiwhi'chlatterisnpiv-; otally secured to an.extension..-3I"1o f::theccarrier I4. The "stemf30''isfmovablyarrangediwith- .-in the clevis'3 I4I and'isprovided with a lockznutz32 toy `prevent its separation :from the ':clevis .3 I The spring 32 is'pressed slightly when the primary clutch. band 4 .is engaged.l 'Thissspringzisfrintended to compensateV -for'lia certain :amount :of

' wear of the primary'clutclr bandliningiandalsoit is designed to prevent Athefbandfrombecoming the'drum 2 Withrwhich it rcooperates; #As the clutch vthrow oractuating means for the lever :23

vthat, actuates the -slive rend of4 rthe `.clutch-1 band 4 `may be conventional, vitfis not. desired` turbe llimited. to the specic means herein i describedafand-:faccording to .the 1.accompanying -shovving The spring 32 holds.the;primarytclutehwband out of Contact 'with' the drum Ewheny ,the-.clutch `is in noperative. positioniand 1thiszasiiures the` properre- There is established*-afconnectionfbetween .the

. .driving gear -5 and .the lffioating. carrier I4 -rby means of the-.coiled springe33 which :is -zfattached at one end to a portion of theubodyfstructurel-oi 550 the gear and at theotherfendsissattached to the middlev portions of the atuatinglever f .23 of the Yband-4. :'Ihe.purposeoffthe` spring133 istoffmainvrelative rotation regarding the .lgeanS-wherein .tlie5F carrier does not .exert-any. forceupontha n clutch band-.3.-tofapply-- thesame.

With i the foregoing descriptionof fthe con-v struction of thelclutch mechanism hereof-,in View,

the operation .obtainable ttheref-romVf-is fas@ followsrx Let it :beassumed that ythe gearf .lis rotation in the. direction ..ofthe .arroWin-Eigure -1 ...and

that the-sleeve memberY 28 Tis-.shifted fin .thezdireclever 23-to .tighten thezyprimaryfzclutch';bandi4 wise, of course, f the .main clutch rband:3- is notattively'With'saidA gear by ibeifngf supportedr thereon. The initial-application of-the narrowpprimary at the time stationary, throws upon Vthe clutch band 4 the resistance load of the inertia of the drum I, and immediately that this load is placed upon the clutch band 4 it is transmitted to the carrier i4, which necessarily is retarded instantaneously in its movement previously incident to the movement with the gear 5, so that the carrier i4 is retarded by the force of the resistance load placed upon the band 4 whilst the gear 5 continues to rotate at its normal fixed rate of speed. By reason of the foregoing a relative movement of the carrier i4 in a clockwise direction, so to speak, as respects the gear 5, vis compelled, the

lsame being permitted by the expansion of the spring 3S. Practically speaking, this clockwise relative movement of the carrier I4 with respect to gear 5 is establish-ed by momentary retardation of its movement upon the resistance load of the drum 2 being placed upon the band 4, Whilst the gear 5 continues its regular movement in a countenclockwse direction.

Now according to this invention, the relative movement of the carrier l 4 and the gear 5 is translated into an actuating movement by the carrier i4 o-f its arm i3 and through the arm i3 the lever 8 connected with the live end or" the main clutch band isA actuated so that the main clutch band 3 is applied to the clutch drum 2 with proper clutching force to thus connect with eiiicient clutch action the gear 5 to the drum l. Theren after the drum i is compelled to rotate through the clutching force of both the main clutch band 3 and the primary clutch band 4, the action of the latter of which caused the application of the former clutch band 3 to the drum 2. f

If and when the clutch band yl is released from the drum 2 by actuation of the-sleeve member 28 in the proper direction, the same causing rocking of the lever 23 releasing clutch band t, the spring 33 will shift the carrier lll rotatively relatively to the gear 5 in a counter-clockwise direction and this shifting movement will, through the parts I2, 8, and I8, cause release movement of the main clutch band 3 respecting the drum 2, and unclutching of the gear 5 from the driven member l will thus be effected.

It will b-e seen that the shock absorber i9 previously referred to is advantageously used to cushion the engagement of the main clutch band 3 and the drum 2 and thus eliminate jerks and shocks incident to the clutching operation.

The sole purpose of the primary or narrow band 4 is to furnish the power to act upon the live end of the main clutch band 3; or, after the clutch is fully engaged, to react the pull in the live end of the main clutch band 3.

The force delivered to the live end of the main clutch band 3 is very considerable compared to the force exerted upon the primary clutch band 4 by the operator, due to the wrapping action of the primary clutch band 4 around thelarge diameter of the drum 2. The primary clutch band 4 may, therefore, be set very loose on the drum 2; the spring 32 possessing the correct compressive eiort to produce the force necessary at the live end of the main clutch band 3, thereby making the operation of the clutch exceptionally easy at all times.

Spring means 32, 33 are provided to keep both clutch bands from the clutch drums when released. Also only a minimum amount of slippage of the main band can take place, because spring 32 being strong enough to keep the primary clutch band 4 from slipping, any slippage on the part of the main band 3 will cause a further relative movement between the gear 5 and the carrier I4, thereby immediately setting the main clutch band 3 tight enough to carry the load Without further slipping. For the above reasons', the clutch will remain unusually cool even' during continuous operation.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, ise- 1. In clutch mechanism of the class described, in combination, an operating drum equipped with a clutch drum surface and constitutinga driven member, a driving member, a primary clutch member comprising a contractible frictionband movably mounted on the driving member for cooperation with the said clutch drum surface, a main clutch member comprising a second contractible friction band'carried by the driving member and disposed for cooperation with the clutch drum surface so as to connect the driving member positively tothe driven member, instrumentalities for causing application of the primary clutch member to the clutch drum surface oi the driven member independently of the main clutch member so that relative rotary movement of the" primary ciutch member and the driving member will be caused by the resistance load of the inertia of the driven member when the primary clutch member is applied to said clutch drum sur-- face, and connections between the primary clutch f member vand the main clutch member for cause ing operative clutching engagement of the main clutch member respecting the driven member incident to said relative rotary movement of the primary clutch member and driving member.

2. In clutch mechanism of the class described, inr combination, a driving member, a driven member, a primary clutch part, a carrier connected With said clutch part and movable in'ren lation to the driving member, a main clutch part for cooperation with the driven member, connecting means between the main clutch part and said carrier such that relative movement of the carrier and the driving member will cause application of the main clutch part to connect the driving and driven members, means for initially actuating the primary clutch part, while said main clutch part is maintained normally disengaged, to connect the same with the driven member to transmit the resistance load oi said driven member clutching operation to the carrier for causing actuation oi the carrier in the manner stated for eifecting application of themain clutch part to connect the driving and driven members, and a shock absorbing member connected to the carrier for cushioning the movement of the latter by which the main clutch part is caused to connect the driving and driven members.

3. In clutch mechanism of the class described, in combination, a driving member, a driven drum operating member, a carrier floatingly mounted upon said driving member, a clutch drum surface carried by the driven drum operating member, a main clutch cooperative with said surface for connecting the driving member to the driven drum operating member, a primary clutch connected to said oating carrier and cooperative with said clutch drum surface, instrumentalities for applying the primary clutch member to the clutch drum surface aforesaid, whereby the resistance load of the inertia of the driven drum.

clutch member sov thatwwhen the carrier moves relatively to the driving member in one direction,

the main clutch will be effectively applied to the clutch drum surface, spring means connecting Y the driving member and the oating carrier for normally holding the carrier so related to the driving member that the main clutch is inactive in relation to the clutch drum surface and for restoring the carrier to its normal position `after the vcarrier has moved relatively to the driving member and caused actuation of the main clutch vmember aforesaid, :and shock absorbing means connected to the carrier for cushioning the application of the main clutch member when actuated from' the carrier incident to the relative movel ment of thelatter respecting the driving member.

4. In clutch mechanism of the class described, in combination, a driving member, a driven member having a clutch-engaging surface, clutch devices intermediate said driving and driven members including'a primary clutch device mounted on said driving member and having the form of a clutch band extending 'about and disposed for operative engagement with the clutch-engaging surface of said driven member, a carrier on said driving member normally` coacting therewith and having a yielding connection therewith permit-- ting relativemoticn therebetween, one end of said primary clutch band being xedly connected to said carrier and the other Vend of said primary l clutch l band being movably connected to said carrier for movement towards and away from the iixed end,'instrumentalities for moving said movable `end of said band r towards the fixed end to eect clutching engagement of said band with respect to the clutch-engaging surface of said driven member, such engagement effecting a preliminary connection between said driving` and driven members and imparting relative yieldingV V4o- -motion to said carrier with respect to said driving member, a main clutch device mounted on said driving member and having the form -ofa clutch band also disposed for operative engagebeng fixedly connected tosaid driving member ment with the clutch-engaging surface.V of the t driven member, one end of said main clutch bandv and the other end of said-main clutch band being'movably connected to said driving member Y for movement towards `and away from said fixed end, and instrumentalities intermediate said movable end of said main clutch band and said carrier foractuating-said movable end Atowards said fixed end incident to relative movement of said carrier with respect to said driving memberas aforesaid, said last mentioned vmovement positively connecting said driving and driven mem-V Y,

bers. Y v

5. In clutch mechanism of the class described, in combination, a driving member, a driven member, clutch devices intermediate said driving and driven members comprisinga main clutch part for transmitting movement of the driving member to the driven member, an associated clutch part adapted to be connected with the driven member so as to be actuated by the resistance load of the inertia of the driven member, connections between said associated clutch part and the main clutch part such that the actuation of the associated clutch part will be transmitted to the main clutch. part for causing clutch engagement actu,` 

